Conservation group discovers large population of orangutans in remote Indonesian forest[

Conservation group discovers large population of orangutans in remote Indonesian forest[

Associated Press, Jakarta

The Nature Conservancy says that it has discovered a large population of endangered orangutans while surveying a remote forest in central Indonesia.

Researchers said they had found more than 2,500 animals in East Kalimantan province on Borneo island. The find would be significant because it could increase the known primate population - estimated between 14,000 and 25,000 and mostly in Indonesia - by nearly one-fifth.

"This find represents one of the last, best chances to protect a large healthy population of wild orangutans," said Steve McCormick, president and CEO of The Nature Conservancy.

The environmental group said it will sign a declaration with authorities in East Kalimantan and the Ministry of Forestry to conserve and manage the lowland forests where the orangutans were found.

"The discovery of a large, biologically viable orangutan population in East Kalimantan is very significant," said Birute Mary Galdikas, president of Orangutan Foundation International.

"This find extends the orangutan's known range and gives us hope that we can save the orangutan population from extinction in the wild."

Orangutans face extinction because of their popularity as pets and in circus acts in Indonesia and overseas. They are also losing out to illegal logging and development, which are destroying their natural habitat.